QUEEN CREEK, AZ – The Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce hosted the 9th annual Elevate for Tomorrow college and career workforce readiness conference on Friday, January 9, 2026, at Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus, welcoming approximately 600 high school students from one charter school system and four school districts.
The event brought together 55 local businesses and colleges providing students with the opportunity to meet representatives from post-secondary education and engage with local businesses to discover possible career pathways.Students also participated in a variety of breakout sessions, topics included interviewing and resume skills, financial literacy, college campus living, and real-world career exploration.
“Our goal is to expose students to the wide range of opportunities available to them,” said Chris Clark, President and CEO of the Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce. “Many students don’t realize how many different career paths exist within one industry. Elevate for Tomorrow helps broaden their perspective to make informed decisions about their future.”
This year’s keynote speaker, Adrian Alcaraz, inspired students with a message focused on adaptability and lifelong learning. Sharing personal career experiences, Alcaraz emphasized that changing careers multiple times is now the reality of a fast-moving digital world, and that the ability to learn, pivot, and continuously build new skills is more important than ever.
The Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce extends its gratitude to all participating businesses, colleges, educators, volunteers, and sponsors who made this event possible. This year’s sponsors included CMC Steel, DCPS, Global Roofing Group, Chick-fil-A Ironwood, and Arizona State University.
Elevate for Tomorrow remains one of the Chamber’s signature programs supporting workforce development and youth engagement in the Queen Creek region.
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About Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce
Queen Creek Chamber of Commerce was formed in 2002 to solve problems so you can thrive because strong businesses create strong communities.
